


Stories and Shields

by denna5



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-16
Updated: 2016-08-16
Packaged: 2018-08-09 05:09:35
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,063
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7787887
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/denna5/pseuds/denna5
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Fluff featuring Steve and Clint, talk of stories, shield throwing practice, and rubbing sore muscles.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Stories and Shields

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by this post http://intermittently-ava.tumblr.com/tagged/i-headcanon-these-two-practicing-for-days

“You know you’re pretty good with that thing, Cap.”

The battle is over, Steve had been looking over his shield when those words catch his attention. It is Barton who says them, the man standing much closer to Steve than he realized, looking over his own weapon but his eyes dart over to Steve now. Those eyes look a bit tired but they are clear and focused and Steve wonders what Barton sees when he looks at Steve right now. Steve just gives a bit of a shrug, meets Barton’s eyes.

“Thanks. I practiced a lot. You’re pretty good with that thing.”

He gestures to the bow with his words and Barton gives him a little smile that is almost a smirk and it looks good.

“Thanks. The circus didn’t call me world’s best marksman just because it was a snappy title.”

Barton says this so matter of fact and Steve remembers seeing something about that in the file he was given to read but it is still a hard to believe and he finds himself shaking his head a bit about it, letting out a sound almost like a chuckle.

“Something amusing, Rogers?”

Barton asks now, has a brow raised and Steve just looks him in the eyes again as he speaks.

“Just you ran away to the circus, learned the bow and arrow, and are so good with it that you just helped saved the world from an alien invasion. Just it sounds like something from a story.”

It does sound like a story, could almost be a fairy tale or something, boy runs away to circus and becomes a hero, helps save the world. Barton just looks at him for a moment before giving a little huff and then speaking.

“You’re from the 40’s, got some serum that made you a super human, ended up frozen for a while, woke up seventy years later and just saved the world from an alien invasion. I think that sounds like something from a story, probably a comic.”

Barton’s brow is still arched a bit and there is a bit of amusement in his eyes, lips turned up just a bit and this might look better than the smirk did. Steve just gives a shrug now.

“I suppose so. “

The little grin that Barton has grows just a little bit more now and he shifts a bit on his feet as he speaks now, a sort of bouncing almost like he is excited about something.

“You know, they made stories about you, made comic books. I wonder if they will make some now, about this, the new adventure of Captain America or something like that.”

“If they do, I’ll have my lawyers make sure we all get some image rights but for right now, shawarma?”

It is Stark who says this, draws both Barton’s and Steve’s attention away from their little conversation and Barton gives a nod, follows Stark and Steve does so as well, can’t help but keep making little glances over to Barton during the meal when he isn’t feeling like he is going to sleep. There is something about Barton that has drawn Steve’s attention and he hopes he can learn more about the man soon.

++++

Weeks pass and Barton soon enough becomes Clint and time is spent with the man on missions and outside of them. They have become friends, some sort of understanding between them, and Steve trusts him, trusts him to have his back on missions and so it is nothing to decide to trust him with the shield. It is nothing to offer it to Clint one day in the gym, holds it out to him.

“Want to give it a try?”

There is a grin on Clint’s face, not a smirk but a smile of pure excitement and Clint reaches a hand out, fingers touching Steve’s own as they grip the shield. Steve lets go of the shield, lets Clint take ahold of it fully and tries not to think about the fluttery feeling he got when Clint’s fingers brushed against his.

“ I used to think about what it would be like to get to hold this when I was a kid. It isn’t’ as heavy as I thought it would be.”

Clint says this, is looking the shield over, testing the weight in his hands. He is still smiling and Steve really likes his smile. The shield looks good in Clint’s hands, Steve decides this as he watches him twisting it around and he can’t wait to see what Clint can do with it. He backs up now, gives Clint space and then watches as Clint tests it out.

Clint throws it, lets it arch around in a circle before catching it again. The movement was beautiful, precise, and Clint is smooth with it, maybe not as smooth as Steve is with it but Steve has worked with it more. Right now he just looks over at Clint standing with it and gives him a small smile.

“You’re good with it.”

He says it simply and Clint just shakes his head a bit.

“I’m good at angles, can throw it alright but I’m not good with it, not yet.”

Clint offers it back to Steve now but Steve doesn’t reach out for it, instead he shakes his head.

“Then I guess you need some practice.”

Clint grins back at him and that starts a new routine for the next few days. They practice with the shield, throwing it back and forth to each other, catching and tossing, and they are starting to get really good at getting it to each other quickly. It is fun and Steve loves the extra hours with Clint but it is still a bit tiring, still makes their muscles ache and Steve at least has the serum but Clint does not and it takes a bit of a toll. He gets a few bruises from their occasional misses and Steve knows that his arms and back ache something fierce form all of the extra exercise. Steve wants to do something to help and that is how he finds himself in the middle of the pharmacy looking at things that are supposed to help with bruises and aches and he isn’t quite sure which one to get so he gets a few different ones and then heads to the tower, makes his way to Clint’s room. He is only a few feet away from Clint’s door when it occurs to Steve just why he has bought several tubes of bruise cream to give to Clint and it makes him freeze.

He likes Clint, likes to see him smile, likes to spend time with him and it isn’t just because they are friends. He wants something with Clint, something personal, something physical, something romantic, and the want hits him all at once and he has to take deep breath and think. He knows it isn’t like before, they wouldn’t have to hide it as much, and he has heard enough from Clint to know that the man at least has had attractions to men in the past and Steve thinks maybe they could have something. Now he just has to think about how to go about this, tells himself that he can at least drop off the ointment today and then worry about asking for a date late. With that thought in mind, he approaches Clint’s door and gives it a knock.

It doesn’t take long for Clint to answer it, to give Steve a bit of a grin and invite him in. Steve follows him in, sits down on the couch when Clint does and holds out the bag for Clint to take.

“These are for you, for your arms, to make them better.”

Steve isn’t sure just what came out of his mouth just then and from the look on Clint’s face he isn’t sure either. Still Clint does take the bag from him.

“I didn’t know my arms were bad.”

He says it with a bit of a joking tone and Steve rolls his eyes a bit.

“Your arms are good, this is just to make them feel better, help with the soreness. I hope I got you the right kind.”

Clint starts pulling out the various tubes as Steve says this and he lets out a little chuckle as he puts them on the coffee table.

“I think you got me every kind so I think one of them should work. Thanks.”

Clint smiles at him when he says this and Steve gets another flutter in his stomach at it. Clint has started sorting through the tubes now, picks up one as he speaks again.

“It is more my back than my arms at this point though. The cream should help if I can reach the right spot.”

“I could rub it for you if you want.”

The offer is out of Steve’s mouth before he can really even think about and he can feel his face heating up just a bit. Clint just looks at him for a second before giving a nod.

“Ok, that might be nice.”

He says this and there is something in his voice that almost sounded like nervousness. Clint positions himself so the Steve can reach his back, hands him the tube of cream and then takes his shirt off.

It isn’t the first time Steve has seen him without his shirt but the sight still makes him take a deep breath as he looks over Clint’s bared skin. There are a few scars and bruises sprinkled across it, scars that draw attention to the smooth skin, the muscles underneath and Steve reaches out and runs a finger across one of the scars on Clint’s right shoulder blade.

“Is this the area that hurts?”

“Yep, right along both shoulders. They are knotted up pretty good, you going to try smooth them out for me?’”

Clint asks and Steve just tells him yes and puts some of the cream on his hands. He puts his hands on Clint’s back, starts rubbing it in. He can feel it warming up a bit as he smooth it into Clint’s back, the skin underneath his hands soft and warm and Steve likes the feel of it. Clint relaxes into his touch, lets out a few soft sighs and light moans and Steve likes those sounds, wants to hear more of them.

“You have good hands.”

Clint lets those words out in a breath and Steve stops for just a moment, takes his own breath and then speaks.

“Do you want to get coffee with me?”

The offer is out of his mouth and Clint turns and faces him now, looks at him with a bit of curiosity in his eyes.

“Get coffee like buddies or …?”

Clint says this and Steve thinks maybe there is a bit of hope in his voice but it could be Steve’s own wishful thinking coloring the words. It is worth the risk though so Steve just leans a bit closer as he speaks.

“I would like it if it was a more than buddies thing, if that is something you would like.”

Clint’s eyes are really wide right now, shoulders tense up and Steve wonders if maybe he should take it back.

“I never thought Captain America would ask me out. That is what is happening right?”

Clint says this, the words coming out in a rush, both confusion and excitement tinting them and it fills Steve with relief.

“Well, I’m not in the suit so I think right now I’m just Steve but yes, I’m asking you out. I can go put on the suit if that would help.”

Steve’s words come out a bit teasing and he starts to shift on the couch just a bit, starts to get up but Clint’s hand reaches out and grabs his wrist, keeps him from leaving.

“You don’t need the suit. I would like to get coffee with you but there is something I want to do first.”

Clint leans forward with his words and then there is a brush of lips against Steve’s own. The kiss is warm and gentle and over way too soon but Steve knows now that there are probably going to be more and that thought is nice, like something out of a story, their story.


End file.
